Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Robert of Shrewsbury

667431Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 48 — Robert of Shrewsbury1896Charles Lethbridge Kingsford

ROBERT of Shrewsbury (d. 1167), hagiologist, was prior of Shrewsbury in 1137, when he was sent in search of St. Wenefred's bones. He became fifth abbot before 1160, and died in 1167. He recovered for his abbey the tithe of Emstrey (Eyton, vi. 171), He wrote a ‘Life’ of St. Wenefred on the occasion of the removal of her remains from Wales to Shrewsbury, and dedicated it to Warin or Guarin, prior of Worcester, who died in 1140. This life is extant in Cotton. MS. A. v. 6. A translation appeared in 1635, ‘The Admirable Light of St. Wenefride … now translated into English … by J. F. of the Society of Jesus.’ This was reprinted in 1712, and republished in the following year by Bishop William Fleetwood [q. v.] in his ‘Life and Miracles of St. Wenefrid.’

[Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib. p. 637; Dugdale's Monast. Angl. iii. 514, 522; Eyton's Antiquities of Shropshire; Owen and Blakeway's Hist. of Shrewsbury, ii. 108; Wright's Biogr. Britt. Litt. Anglo-Norman, p. 179; Hardy's Descript. Cat. Brit. Hist. i. 180–2, ii. 211.]

C. L. K.